Psychology Articles
SCARS Articles about Scam/Fraud/Cybercrime Psychology, Victimology, Criminology, and Sociology
Articles relation to the psychology of scams, the exploitation by criminals, and their function and impact in scam victims.
Featured Articles
Neuroticism – Definition Signs Causes and How to Manage It for Scam Victims and Survivors – 2026
Neuroticism - Definition, Signs, Causes, and How to Manage It for Scam Victims and Survivors - 2026 Principal Category: Scam Victim Psychology Author: • Tim McGuinness, Ph.D. - Anthropologist, Scientist, Polymath, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. Read More ...
Creatine Kinase (CK) Protein – a Potential Deadly Health Risk for Traumatized Scam Victims – an Overview
Creatine Kinase (CK) Protein - a Potential Deadly Health Risk for Traumatized Scam Victims - an Overview Principal Category: Somatic/Physical Effects from Trauma Authors: • Tim McGuinness, Ph.D. - Anthropologist, Scientist, Polymath, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. Read More ...
Adenosine Conflict with Psychological Trauma
Adenosine Conflict with Psychological Trauma Principal Category: Neurology Author: • Tim McGuinness, Ph.D. - Anthropologist, Scientist, Polymath, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. Abstract Adenosine plays a central role in regulating sleep, neural inhibition, and cognitive Read More ...
Neuro-Associative Conditioning for Scam Victim Recovery – A Guide for Scam Survivors – 2025
Neuro-Associative Conditioning for Scam Victim Recovery - A Guide for Scam Survivors Principal Category: Scam Victim Recovery Psychology Author: • Vianey Gonzalez B.Sc(Psych) – Licensed Psychologist, Specialty in Crime Victim Trauma Therapy, Neuropsychologist, Certified Deception Professional, Psychology Advisory Panel & Director of the Society of Citizens Read More ...
BDNF – A Potential Support for Psychological Trauma – 2025
BDNF - A Potential Support for Psychological Trauma Principal Category: Scam Victim Physiology Author: • Tim McGuinness, Ph.D. - Anthropologist, Scientist, Polymath, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. Abstract Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor is a protein that Read More ...
Baader-Meinhof Phenomenon – Frequency Illusion Cognitive Bias – 2025
Baader-Meinhof Phenomenon - Frequency Illusion Cognitive Bias Principal Category: Cognitive Biases Author: • Tim McGuinness, Ph.D. - Anthropologist, Scientist, Polymath, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. Abstract The Baader-Meinhof phenomenon, also known as frequency illusion, is Read More ...
Scam Victim/Survivor Recovery Endpoints – 2025
Scam Victim/Survivor Recovery Endpoints A Compilation of Victim Recovery Endpoints based on the Work of the SCARS Institute with thousands of Scam Victims/Survivors Principal Category: Scam Victim Recovery // Psychology Authors: • Vianey Gonzalez B.Sc(Psych) – Licensed Psychologist, Specialty in Crime Victim Trauma Therapy, Neuropsychologist, Certified Read More ...
Illusory Truth Effect – Cognitive Bias – 2025
Illusory Truth Effect Principal Category: Cognitive Biases Author: • Tim McGuinness, Ph.D. - Anthropologist, Scientist, Polymath, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. Abstract Online scammers exploit the illusory truth effect to enhance the credibility of their Read More ...
Psychology Articles
SCARS Institute: Mental Health – Anxiety Self-Assessment Test for Scam Victims – v4
[raw] Anxiety Self-Assessment for Scam Victims Anxiety Self-Assessment for Scam Victims Mental Health Assessment · Adapted from GAD-7 Clinical Framework Your Privacy Is Protected We never see your identity Your responses are processed in your browser and your email. Only you see any identifying information about you. De-identified data supports Read More ...
SCARS Institute: Mental Health – Depression Self-Assessment for Scam Victims – v4
[raw] Depression Self-Assessment for Scam Victims Depression Self-Assessment for Scam Victims Mental Health Assessment · Adapted from PHQ-9 Clinical Framework Your Privacy Is Protected We never see your identity Your responses are processed in your browser and your email. Only you see any identifying information about you. De-identified data supports Read More ...
SCARS Institute: Scam Reality Acceptance, Recovery Readiness, and Re-Scamming Risk Self-Assessment Test – v3
[raw] Scam Victims' Risk of Being Scammed Again Scam Victims' Risk of Being Scammed Again SCARS Re-Victimization Risk Instrument · 70 Questions Your Privacy Is Protected We never see your identity Your responses are processed in your browser and your email. Only you see any identifying information about you. De-identified Read More ...
SCARS Institute: Life Fatigue Pattern Self-Assessment – v3
[raw] Life Fatigue Pattern Self-Assessment Life Fatigue Pattern Self-Assessment Focused Self-Assessment · 23 Questions Your Privacy Is Protected We never see your identity Your responses are processed in your browser and your email. Only you see any identifying information about you. De-identified data supports research With your permission and your Read More ...
SCARS Institute: Re-Victimization Risk Self-Assessment Tool – v3
[raw] Scam Victims' Risk of Being Scammed Again Scam Victims' Risk of Being Scammed Again SCARS Re-Victimization Risk Instrument · 70 Questions Your Privacy Is Protected We never see your identity Your responses are processed in your browser and your email. Only you see any identifying information about you. De-identified Read More ...
Anti-Memetic Effects and Challenges Recent Traumatized Scam Victims Face – 2026
Anti-Memetic Effects and Challenges Recent Traumatized Scam Victims Face When Truth Does Not Stick: Anti-Memetic Effects in Scam Victim Recovery Principal Category: Scam Victim Recovery Psychology / Recoverology Author: • Tim McGuinness, Ph.D. - Anthropologist, Scientist, Polymath, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Read More ...
Hysteria as a Trauma Response in Scam Victims – 2026
Hysteria as a Trauma Response in Scam Victims Principal Category: Scam Victim Trauma / Psychotraumatology Author: • Tim McGuinness, Ph.D. - Anthropologist, Scientist, Polymath, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. Abstract Severe emotional episodes following scams Read More ...
A Self-Help Tool – Helping Scam Victims Arrive At Their Own Truth – 2026
Helping Scam Victims Arrive At Their Own Truth A Self-Help Tool Principal Category: Recoverology Authors: • Vianey Gonzalez B.Sc(Psych) – Licensed Psychologist, Specialty in Crime Victim Trauma Therapy, Neuropsychologist, Certified Deception Professional, Psychology Advisory Panel & Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc. Read More ...
